Sectional work connected table



Jan. 15, 1952' P. ROSENBERG SECTIONAL WORK CONNECTED TABLE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 12, 1949 3nventor P/1/4 Rosin/B619 Jan. 15, 1952 p, ROSENBERG 2,582,935

SECTIONAL WORK CONNECTED TABLE Filed July 12. 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 PH/L rP EoJ-NBERG a zda awma? (lltomegs Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFHCE SECTIONAL WORK CONNECTED TABLE Philip Rosenberg, New York, N. Y., assignor to Universal Steel Equipment Corporation, Long Island City, Y., a corporation of New York Application July 12, 1949, Serial No. 104,250 ,9 Claims. (01. 311-4) This invention relates to sectional tables of the kind disclosed in Letters Patentof the United States No. 2,327,743, granted to me on August 24, 1943, and particularly to features of table construction having to do with the uniting of the sectionsto oneanother. I v

Tables of the kind referred to commonly include two or more sections, each comprising a metallic framehaving a plane metallic top portion and a non-metallic sheet of surfacing material adhered or otherwisesuitably secured to the table top. V I I Because of 'the difference in thermal expansion of the metallic and non-metallic portions of the table, and also becausethe material of the surface sheet may be more or less hygroscopic in character while the metallic parts are not, there is a tendency for the surface sheet to creep and pull loose from the metallic portion of the table top, particularly at the ends of the table sections, and hence to produce objectionable bulging or warping of the surface material at the joint between sections.

In Patent 2,327,743 disclosure is made of a form of construction employing a joint bar having channels in its opposite sides at a short distance below the u per surface, eachchann'el of just sufficient width to receive and hold together a reducedend portion of the surface sheet and the immediately adjacent sheet metal portion of the' table top. Thisconstruction obviated the need for holddown screws, provided, opposed holding" members under no substantial strain, and located the oppos'edholding surfaces so near to one another that changes of humidity and temperature could have no material tendency to impose strain upon the bar; n

' The baritself was not,'however, of especially simple or economical "construction; While the head or the bar, designed to lie in rabbets in the upper surface of thecover material, was continuous, the side portions of the body of the bar were made discontinuous to provide clearance for the side walls of the metallic channel members and the inturnedfianges thereofy'being divided into a series of spaced-apart blocks. I

theneed for employing ajoint bar of such expensive construction.

"To this end it is a salient feature or the invention that the table construction is so modified that a simple I-shaped joint'bar may be 2 fitted and clamped continuously between the abutting table sections.

It is a further important feature that continuous channel formations are provided forreceiving and holding the opposite sides of the lower flange of an I -shaped joint bar in a position to ensure that the upper flange will stand flush with the cover material at a height to confine the reduced portions of the covenmaterial while permitting them to creep.

Other objects and advantageswill hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly broken away, showing a sectional table which embodies features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on a larger scale than Figure 1, showing details of construction of the joint bar and associated parts;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, showing the table construction at a joint; I

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, upon the line 4-4 of Figure3,.looking in'the direction of the arrows; f

Figure' lA isa fragmentary sectional view, taken upon the line 4A,4A of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 isa fragmentary detail sectionalview showing a marginalor edge enclosing strip at a joint and parts associated with said strip;

Figure 6' is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the joint bar; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in sectional elevation generally similar to a portion of the structure shown in Figure 3 but illustrating a modified arrangement of the cross-connectors.

The illustrative table [comprises a series of sections, of which sections designated 2' and 3 are illustrated. The several sections are essentially duplicates of one another, and a description of the parts of one section is,'therefore, equally applicable to the parts 'of another.

Each table section top is desirably made up of a series of longitudinal metallic channel members 4, each comprising a plane central body portion 5, downturned vertical side flanges 6, and inturned horizontal bottom flanges l. The members d are connected to one another by cross-connectors 8 and 9 in the form of metallic channel members. A cross-connector 8 is provided at one end of a table section and a cross-connector?! at the other, the two cross-connectors being of bar.

complementary construction so that the crossconnector 8 of one table section may be made to cooperate with the cross-connector 9 of the next. Additional cross-connectors may be provided intermediate the ends of the table for the purpose of reinforcement, but since these additional cross-connectors form no part ofthe present invention they have not been illustrated.

The table legs I may also be in the form of metallic channel bars, each having the upper end thereof secured in one of the cross-connectors 8. The connection of the legs with the cross-connector will be referred to again in connection with a more detailed description of the crossconnectors. 4 I K V A surface sheet II of non-metallic material, desirably of the composition known commercially as Masonite, is adhered or otherwise suitably secured to the top plane surface of the table top formed by the body portions of the channel members 4. Each sheet I I at the end of its table section which is to be joined to another table section is formed with a shouldered recess or rabbet I2 to provide a reduced end portion I3. The end portion I3 terminates a little short of the channel bars 4 so that if the surface sheet becomes loosened from the table top the'ends of the surface 'sheetican creep towardthe end'of thetablesection and will not cause bulging. v

" A joint bar I4 is interposed between the abuttingends of. the table sections 2 and 3, the bar being desirably made of 'a tough elastic nonhygroscopic plastic material, such as ethyl cellulose. .The joint bar is 'continuouslyI-shape in cross-section, comprising a head I5 which projects as side flanges at opposite sides of a body I6..and a base I! which also projects as bottom flanges at opposite sides of the body IS. The

opposite sides of the top I5 fit into the recesses or rabbets of the surface sheets II of the two adjacenttable sections; the upper face of the top flange standing flush with both of the adjacent surface sheets, It is an important point 'that the sides of the topflange which overlie thereduce'd end portions of the surface sheets donot bearagainst thesereduced end portions with clamping pressure but'simply confine them with freedom for creeping movement.

The tops of the table "sections are especially constructed to. bear substantially continuously against 'thebodyflfi of the joint bar; clamping it between them; and'to bear substantially continuously against the top, bottom and side faces of the bottom flange'so as to secure'the 'j'oint 'bar "firmly in "a prescribed position.

I'The end faces of each channel member 4 extend beneath the top I5 of the joint bar hi seen inFigure 2,v the formation of the notch also removing a portion of the lower flange I of the channelmember 4. v V I A filler I9 is provided in the end of each channel member 4. Each illustrative 'flller is formed of sheet metal. Each filler I9 comprises a vertical body portion which fits against the body portion I8 of the joint bar I4, 2. long upper flange 2| whichis secured to the body portion 5 of the channel member 4 in any suitable manner as by spot-welding, a short lower fiafige "22'which extends parallel to the flange downturned flanges 29 and 38'.

draw the fillers tive to thejoint bar.

4 2I and bears against the upper face of the joint bar base, and a short downturned flange 23 at the free edge of the flange 22.

At the end of the table section at which the cross-connector 8 is provided the flange 22 and the upper face of the cross-connector 8 define between them a space of fixed dimensions just large'enoughtoreceive and comfortably fit one side of the base I! of the joint bar I4. The base of the joint bar rests uponthe cross-con- "nector 8, and this supports the head or upper "flangels of the joint bar in the desired relation to the surface sheet II of the section upon which the cross-connector 8 is provided.

' The cross connector 8 comprises an upper body'member'2'4' having downturned flanges 25 -and-26. The body member 24 is disposed to extend outward beneath the joint bar and beyond "the table joint. .The downturned flange 26 is provided at its lower end with an inturned "flange 21.

-cross-connector 9, set screws 32 are threaded through the flange 3I-from below and are adapted to'bear against the lowerface of the flange 2'I.' By'advancin'g the set screws 32 the flanges 2'! and 3I are forced apart and this serves to I9 of table section 3 down firmly against one side of the'base ll of the joint bar I4; and to press the base I! down firmly against the body 24 of :the cross-connector 8. o This locates the top of table section 3*ex'a'ctl flush with the joint bar I4 and the top of table section 2. Although the fillers of table section 3 maybe urged-downward with considerable force they do not exert any severe localized clamping pressure upon the base of the joint" bar I4, but merely bear. against it. evenly to confine 'it in its assigned position. I

Headed screws 33 are passed through bores -of the flange 28and through slots .34 of the flange 29'. 'Nuts35 threaded onto the screws 33 ""may be tightened to draw theflanges 26 and 29 toward one another. Thiscauses the fillers of the table sections 2 and 3 to clamp the, body of the" joint bar firmly between them.

' With the construction described the. two table sections are madeunitary with one another and the joint bar is secured and maintained in precisely thedesired relation to the surface sheets of the two sections. This relation, as has been pointed. out, leaves thesheets free .to creep rela- The flanges Hand 3 I .are notched to receive the legs I0. The-upper end ofxeach leg ID is, bolted to theflanges 26-and 29,2by means of headed bolts 230 and nuts not shown." The bolt heads space the .flanges- 26 and 29: a short distance-from one another.

The" composite table :top isdesirable; embraced completely around its perimeter by, a channel member or series of channel. members 42;; The surface sheets II are formed with marginal notches 43 similar to the notches or rabbets .I 2, for receiving the upper flange of the channel strip 42. The arrangement is desirably such that the surface sheet can creep relative to the channel members 42. The lower flanges of the channel members 42 extend beneath the lower flanges 1 of the top channel members 4. The end margins of the cross-connectors 8 and 9. are displaced downwardly, as seen in the case of the cross-connector 8 in'Figure 5, to provide space for the lower flanges of the channel members 42. The joint bar I4 is formed at its ends with notches 44 to accommodate the upper flanges of the channel members .42. Along the sides the edge embracing channel members are connected to the flanges 60: by screws 45. At the ends fillers similar to the fillers [9 are provided for the attachment of the members 42.

The side members 42 are constructed to extend across the joint between adjacent sections. When shipped the members 42. are attached by the screws 45to the section top. Each side member 42 includes a protruding end portion through which a screw 46 is passed, the screw being threaded into a wooden block (not shown) to retain it in place. When the table sections are to be joined the Wooden blocks are removed and discarded, and the screws 46 are then threaded into the flanges 6 of the adjacent table section.

In Figure 7 a construction similar to that of Figure 3 is provided, but with the cross-connectors modified in construction. Since the parts are otherwise unchanged, corresponding reference characters have been applied to corresponding parts with the subscript a. added in each instance.

The cross-connector 8a comprises a body 24a and downturned flanges which include the flange 260., but in this instance the bottom flange 21a instead of being turned back or inward is turned outward to, extend away from the joint bar. The cross-connector 9a is of a generally similar construction to the cross-connector 9, in that it comprises a body portion 28a and downturned flanges including the flange 29a. The horizontal bottom flange 3la, instead of being outturned like the flange 3|, is turned back or inward, and overlies the flange 21a.

Bolts 36 are passed downward through the flanges 3m and 21a and clamping nuts 31 are threaded on the bolts and tightened to draw flanges 21a and Ma toward one another. This has precisely the same effect of drawing the section 3 downward relative to the section 2 that was produced when the set screws 32 of Figure 3 were turned to separate the flanges 21 and 3| of that figure. When the desired adjustment has been secured by the tightening of the nuts31 the flanges 26a and 29a are clamped immovably together. Headed screws 38 have their shanks passed through slots 39 and 40 which are formed, respectively, in the flanges 26a and 29a, and nuts 4| are tightened on the screws 38. This drawing of the flanges 26a and 2941 together serves to clamp the'body |6a of'the joint bar 14a firmly between the fillers of the table sections 2a and 3a.

The flanges 26a and 29a are spaced from one another by the heads of leg attaching bolts 290a. The bolts are clamped to the legs and to the flange 26a by nuts 29!. A downturned flange 3) is provided along the free edge of flange 31a. The flange 3"! extends downward across the edge of the flange 21a in engagement with the latter.

As the nuts 4| are tightened to draw the flanges 26a and 29a toward one another the cross-connector 9a. acts as a cantilever with its flange. 3H! rocking upon the edge of the flange 21a as a fulcrum. As a result of this action the .filler blocks of the adjoining table sections are forced positively toward one another and into clamping relation to the joint bar l4a. This is an important feature.

I have describedwhat I believe to be the best embodiments of my; invention. I dov not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to coverby Letters Pate ent is set forth in the appended claims.

' I claim: 1. A table section adapted to be joined end to end with a like table section, said section having a top which comprises longitudinally extending channel members arranged side by side, each including an upper or body portion, a pair of downwardly extending flanges, and a pair of lower inturned flanges, the upper faces of the body por-' tions' lying in a common plane, the lower faces of the inturned flanges lying in a common plane, and the body portions and the downwardly, extending flanges terminating generally in a common end plane for engagement with the body portion of a joint bar continuously I-shaped in cross-section; the downwardly extending and inturned flanges being cut away, however, to provide a notch for fitting against a plurality of sides of a lower joint bar flange, and metallic fillers of sheet material secured in the ends ofthe respective channel members, each-filler comprising a body portion disposed in co-planar relation with the ends of the channel member body por tions, a comparatively long upper flange that bears against the lower face of the associated channel member body portion, a comparatively short lower flange parallel to the upper flange, and a downturned flange at'the free edge of the lower flange, said lower and downturned flanges defining notch faces that coincide with the notch faces of the channel members.

2. A sectional table comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections and an intervening joint bar continuously I-shaped in cross-section, each section includinga top composed of a series of longitudinally extending, metallic, channel members arranged side by side with their open faces downward, a non-metallic section cover substantially coterminous with said channel members and'rabbeted'to receive an upper flange of the joint bar at the joined end, each top fitting substantially continuously between upper and lower flanges and against the body of the joint'bar, said channel members being notched to receive a lower joint bar flange, and rigid fi1l-' ers secured within the respective channel members, each bearing against the joint bar body and each having recesses, whosefaces bear against a plurality of the faces. of the associated lower joint bar flange.

3. A sectional table comprisingin combination, a plurality of sections and an intervening joint bar which is"continuously I-shaped in cross-section, each section including a top that comprises a series of longitudinally extending metallic channel members, fillers within the channel members each formed to flt against the body of the joint bar and against a plurality of faces of a lower flange of the joint bar, and a non-metallic cover rabbeted to receive loosely an upper flange of the joint bar, and means clamping the opposed table sections continuously against the body of the joint bar and continuously against the respective lower flanges of the joint bar.

. 4. A sectional table comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections and an intervening joint bar'continuously' I-shaped in cross-section, each table section including atop that comprises a series oflongitudinally' extending metallic channel members, broad fillers within'the channel members each bearing against the body of the joint bar and against a pluralityof faces of a'lower flange'of the joint bar, a non-metalliccover rabbeted to receive loosely anupper flange of the joint bar, andmetallic cross-connectors extending beneath and connected'to the channel members of the respective sections, the cross-connector of one section extending beneath the joint bar inicon'tact' therewith'and clamping the joint bar flanges against the fillers of both sections, and the cross-connectors of the'two sections havin juxtaposed vertical and horizontal flanges and adjusting means for placing and securing the-sectionsin a desired relation toone another.

5.;A' sectional table-as set forth in claim 4 in which the cross-connector that extends beneath the joint bar has its horizontal fiangeturned back to extend toward the jointjbar, and in which set screws are threaded through the horizontal flange of one of the cross-connectors and bear against the horizontal flange of the other for forcibly separating said flanges. v 7

6. A sectional table as set forth in claim 4 in which the cross-connector that extends beneath the joint bar has its longitudinal flange turned outward to extend away from the joint bar while through fasteners are passed through the juxtaposed horizontal flanges of the cross-connectors and. tightened to draw the flanges toward one another. 1

' 7. In a sectional table, in combination, a pair of, adjacent table. sections and an interposed jointfbanthe respective table sections having tobs"which comprise longitudinally extending channel 'members and fillers engageable with opposite sides of the joint bar, and cooperative cross-connectors joining the channel members o'fethe' respective sections to one another, said cross-connectors having juxtaposed vertical flanges and juxtaposed horizontal flanges, and clamping means drawing the vertical flanges to,- get-her, the iipperof said horizontal flanges'having a downturned lip or flange engageable with thefree edge of the other to define a fulcrum 'axis for'compelling thecross-connectors to chest a pincersaction relative to the joint bar as the vertical. flanges aredrawn'tow'ard one another.

,8. A table section adapted to be joinedend to end with "a like table section but with a joint bar interposed "which is continuously I-shaped in cross-,sectionand of a height equalsubsta'ntially to the thickness of the table section top, said table section having a top'which comprises a series of longitudinally extending metallic channel members arranged side by side with their body portions in co-planar relation and with their open faces down,'the lower boundaries of said channel members being also disposed in coplanar relation, ,a non-metallic section" cover supported on the body portions of the channel members and substantially co-terminous with said channel members andrabbeted at aniend to be joined, the'channel members having aligned notches formed in their lower extermitiesv at the section end to be joined, and rigid fillers secured within 'the respective channel member against the body portions thereof, said fillers extending substantially .the full'height and width of the charinel'membersand having vertical faces which coincide'withthe end extremities of the channel me'r'n'oers' at the' end to be joined, and further faces which coincide with the notch faces .of the channelmenibers at the end to be joined-,;the channel members and'thefillers forming a substantially continuouslower rabbet of uniform cross section for fitting a lower flange of ajoint bar of the kind referred to. .r

-9.'-'A tablesection adapted'to be joined end. to end with a; like tablesection but with a joint bar interposedwhichis continuously I-shaped in cross-section and'of a height equal substantially to the? thickness of the vtable section top, said table section having a top which comprises a series of longitudinally extending metallic channel members arranged side by side with their body portions in co-plan'ar'relation and with their open-faces-down, the'lower boundaries of said channel members being also disposed in 'coplanar relation, a non-metalic section cover supported =on-the body portions of the channel members and substantially co-terminous with' said channelmembers and rabbeted at an end to be joined, the channel members having aligned notches formed in theirlower extremities at the section end to be joined, rigid fillers securedpwithin "the 'respectivechannel-members against the body portions thereof; said fillers having vertical faces -which coincide with the end extremities of the channel members atthe. end to be joined, and further faces which coincide with the notch faces of the channelmembers at the endto be joined, and across-connector uniting the several channelmembers, said cross-connector having an upperhorizontal face flush with the lower boundary plane of the channel members, the channel membersandthe fillers together with the crossconnector jointly defining a lower substantially continuous-channelof uniform cross-section for fitting a lower flange of a joint bar of the kind referred to. I v

- PHILIP ROSENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

iUNITED STATES PATENTS Number.

H ,Name Date 2,166,195 4 Rosenberg July 18, 1939 I 2,166,196 Rosenberg July 18, 1939 2,253,7721 Edgren- Aug. 26, 1941 2,327,743 Rosenberg Aug. 24, ,1943 2,481,350 'Rosenberg Sept. 6,-1949 Gilbert et al. Oct. 11, 1949 

